25 Does the Child Tax Credit affect how much you get back from the Earned Income Credit? I'm a single mom with 2 kids making about $22,000 a year and want to maximize my refund.

Just to clarify something that might help others - there's actually been some changes to the Child Tax Credit over the years that can cause confusion. For 2024 tax year (filing in 2025), the credit is $2,000 per qualifying child under 17, with up to $1,700 being refundable through the Additional Child Tax Credit. The key point everyone's made is correct - no minimum income required for the Child Tax Credit itself. But if you have very low or no income, you'll mainly benefit from the refundable portion (up to $1,700 per child). The non-refundable portion can only offset actual tax liability. Make sure your children have valid Social Security Numbers (not ITINs) to qualify for the full credit. Also, with your income under $10,000, you should definitely file a return even if not required to - that's the only way to get the refundable portion back as a refund.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - sold my primary residence in November and bought a new one in August, so I had overlapping mortgages for a few months. The mortgage interest calculation has been giving me nightmares! After reading through all these responses, I think I'm going to try the simplified average balance method that @Margot Quinn mentioned. It seems like the most straightforward approach and my tax software should be able to handle it easily. One question though - when you're calculating the average balance, do you include the principal payments made during the year or just use the outstanding balance at the end of each month? I want to make sure I'm doing this correctly before I file. Also, has anyone here actually been audited on this specific issue? I'm curious if the IRS really does scrutinize the calculation method or if they're more concerned with whether you're claiming too much interest overall.

I went through this exact scenario two years ago and learned some hard lessons that might help you avoid my mistakes. The key thing I wish I'd known upfront is that you need to be super careful about how you track the dates and balances. When I first tried to calculate this myself, I made the error of using my closing dates instead of the actual months I was making payments. The IRS looks at when you're actually obligated to pay interest, not just when you technically owned the properties. So for your September overlap month, make sure you're only counting the interest you actually paid on both mortgages during that specific period. Also, keep detailed records of every payment you made. I ended up having to reconstruct my payment history from bank statements because my mortgage servicer's year-end statement didn't clearly show the month-by-month breakdown I needed. It was a nightmare during tax prep. One more tip - if your new mortgage had any points or origination fees, those might be deductible separately from the regular interest, but they have their own rules about whether you can deduct them all in year one or need to amortize them over the life of the loan. Don't forget to check on that piece too.

Has anyone used TurboTax for a situation like this? I also just got my 1095 forms late but I already filed using TurboTax. Their help section is confusing me.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Got my 1095-C form yesterday and immediately started panicking that I messed up my taxes. After reading through all these responses, I feel so much better knowing that as long as I correctly answered the health insurance coverage questions (which I did - I had employer coverage all year), I don't need to amend my return. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here. It's reassuring to know this is a common situation and not some huge mistake that's going to get me in trouble with the IRS. Going to keep these forms with my tax records for next year just in case I need them for reference.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and it's so frustrating! My ex has been refusing to sign Form 8332 for the past two years even though our divorce decree clearly states we alternate claiming our daughter. One thing I learned from my family law attorney is that you should document EVERYTHING - save all your texts, emails, and any other communication where she's refusing to sign or acknowledging that it's your year to claim him. This documentation becomes crucial if you need to go back to court for contempt proceedings. Also, make sure your custody agreement language is specific about the tax arrangements. Some agreements have vague language that can be interpreted different ways. If yours is clear about alternating years, that strengthens your position significantly. I know it's expensive, but honestly the legal route might be your best bet if she continues to refuse. The tax benefits (child tax credit, dependent deduction, etc.) are usually worth more than the cost of having a lawyer send a formal demand letter.

I've been through this exact situation and understand how frustrating it is when your ex violates the custody agreement like this. Here's what I learned from my experience: First, you're absolutely right that this isn't fair and she can't just decide she "needs the tax break more" when you have a court order. The tax benefits for claiming a dependent can be substantial - potentially $2,000+ with the child tax credit alone, plus the dependent deduction. My advice: Start documenting everything immediately. Save screenshots of all her texts refusing to sign Form 8332. If possible, send her a written message (text or email) stating something like "According to our custody agreement dated [date], 2025 is my year to claim [son's name] as a dependent. Please sign Form 8332 as required by our agreement." Her response (or lack of response) becomes evidence. If she continues refusing, you have two main paths: 1) Have your family law attorney send a formal demand letter (usually costs $150-300 but often effective), or 2) File for contempt of court. The legal fees are almost always less than the tax benefits you're entitled to. Don't file your taxes claiming him without Form 8332 unless you're prepared for an audit and potential penalties. The IRS doesn't care about custody agreements - they only recognize Form 8332 for non-custodial parents. Time is running short, so I'd recommend calling your attorney ASAP to discuss sending that formal letter. Good luck!

Anybody else notice the address shows up different on different forms? Like my wage transcript shows my old address but account transcript has the new one???

Pro tip: if you're having trouble with address updates not syncing across all IRS systems, make sure you file Form 8822 AND update your address directly with your tax preparer if you use one. Also check that your address is correct on your most recent return - that's what they use as the "master" record. The different transcripts can show different addresses because they pull from different parts of their system that update at different times.